Grain-binder.



PATENTBD DEG. 3, 1907.

c. MAUL. GRAIN BINDER.

APPLIUTION FILED JULYZ, 1908,

2 SHEETS--SHEIIBT 1.

' [avanzi/Z070.

jllorrzegs UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN MAUL, OFk BATAVIA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE OHNSTON HARVESTER COMPANY, OF BATAVIA, NEW YORK.

GRAIN-BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1907.

Application filed July 2, 1906. Serial N0.'324:|435| To all whom it mag/concern:

l Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN MAUL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Batavia, in the county of Genesee and State of New York, have invented. a new and useful Improvement in Grain-Binders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to grain binders and more particularly to the controlling mechanism for the gavel forming packers of such machines.

In binding machines of the type to which this invention is directed the gavel is formed by oscillating packers which pack the grain against a compressor or tri arm. The binder needle and knotter mec anism are at vrest while the gavel is being formed, but

when the gavel attains the proper size the pressure thereof on the compressor arm moves the latter and, through mechanism controlled thereby, starts the needle and knotter. The needle moves toward the gavel to place the' cord around the same and the cord is tied by the knotter, after which the gavel is discharged from the machine and the needle and compressor arm are restored to theirnormal position. When the needle advances to embrace the gavel the packers are thrown out ofaction so as not to break or thresh the grain while the gavel is being bound, and when the needle is returned to its initial position the packers are again set in action to form a new gavel.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple, strong and desirable mechanism controlled by the binding mechanism for stopping the packers vand leaving them perfectly free during the binding operation, so as to prevent the tangling or catching of the grain between the needle and packers, and again starting the packers after the binding operation.

In the acconipanyingdrawings, consisting of two sheets, in which only those parts of the machine necessary to an understanding of the invention are shown: Figure l is a fragmentary plan view of the binding mechanism of a grain binder provided with a stop packer embodying the inventioni- Fig. .2 is a fragmentary end elevation thereof viewed from the right in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the clutch mechanism, in line 3 3, Fig. 1, looking toward the right, the needle being shown in its inactive lower position. v Eig. 4 is a similar view showing the position of the parts when the needle is in operation. Fig. 5 is a' sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the clutch'mechanism, showing the opposite side thereof. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the clutch mechnaism, in line'-e, Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is aperspective view of the two clutch dogs detached from the clutch disk. Fig. 8 is a sectional plan of the trip shaft and associated parts.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures. j

Referring particularly to Figs. l and 2, A represents the binder head or frame which supports the binding mechanism, B the drive shaft for the packer arms, C the needle, D the shaft to which the needle is secured, E

the knotter shaft, and F the compressor or trip arm against which ythe gavell is compressed by the packer arms. The packer drive shaft is driven continuously, for instance, by a sprocket chain (not shown) and a sprocket wheel f, and constitutes the driving element for the needle and knetter shafts, which, however, remain at rest until thrown into` action through the movement of the compressor arm by the pressure of the gavel thereon. shaft oscillates to advance and retract the needle and the knetter shaft operates the knotter to tie the knot. The construction and operation of the mechanisms for accomplishing these functions are well known and as these features form no part of .the invention theyy are not illustrated or described herein.

The packer arms G G are of ordinary construction and, as usual, are supported and operated by a double crank H driven by the packer drivefshaft, and their depending tails are connected to the frame byswinging links h. In the construction shown, see-Figs. l

and 6, the drive shaft is journaled in two When thus set in action the needle from the binder head. The packer crank could be journaled to turn independently'of the packer shaft in any other suitable way.

y The packer crank is connected to. `thedrive shaft by a clutch mechanism which is controlled by the needle in such manner that when the needle starts to bind the gavelthe packers are uncoupled from thedrive shaft and remain at rest, and when the needle returns to the initial position the packers are again coupled to and actuated by the drive shaft.

The clutch mechanism is constructed as follows, see Figs. 3-7t l represents a clutch disk or dog carrier which is loosely mounted or journaled on the drive shaft. A driving clutch arm K is fixed in any suitable manner on the packer shaft at one side' of the clutch disk A, and loose on the drive shaft at the opposite side of the disk is a similar driven clutch arm K which is formed on or otherwise iixed to the sleeve h3 ofthe packer crank. The clutch arms have lateral projections 7c extending toward the clutch disk, each arm preferably having two projections at opposite ends equipped with anti-friction rollers. Clutch :dogs L L', Figs. 3-7, are pivoted, as bylpins Z, on opposite sides of the clutch disk adjacent to the driving and driven arms K K, respectively. Springs Z, Figs. 4-6, preferably seated in sockets Z2 (one of which is shown in Fig. 7) in the dogs and bearing against the hub of the clutch disk act to throw the projections or parts Z3 on the dogs into the paths of movement of the projections on the clutch arms K K One of the dogs, for instance, the dog L, has an arm Z4 the clutch disk for cooperation with a trip lever, and also has a tail with a lateral extension Z5 which projects through a hole in the clutch disk and bears against a tail Z6 on the other dog, whereby the two dogs are caused to move together to place their projections Z3 into or out of the paths of the lateral proections on the clutch arms K K. When the dogs are in the position shown in Fig. 3, one

of the projections of the driving arm K will engage the projection Z3 of the dog L, thereby turning the clutch disk, and the projection Z3 of the other dog will engage one of the proj ections of the driven arm and cause the same and the packer crank to rotate and operate the packers G G. l/Vhen' the clutch dogs are held in the position shown in Fig. 4 against the action of their springs the projections of the driving arm K will pass the projection of the dog L and the clutch disk and packer arm will remain at rest.

M represents a trip lever which is operated to engage one of the clutch dogs to stop the clutch disk and packer crank when the needle' moves to bind the gavel and to release the clutch dog to permit the operation of the packers when the needle returns. The trip lever can be operated by various means but the following mechanism is preferably employed. The trip lever is fulcrumed on a jects toward the clutch disk l, and m is a spring which tends-to throw the outer .end of the trip lever into the path of the arm of the clutch dog L. The spring m bears at opposite ends against the iiange on the trip lever and a lug m2 on the packer shaft bracket Zt and is coiled around a guide pin m3 passing through the lug and flange of the trip lever.

N represents a trip shaft which is arranged parallel with the needle shaft to rockin bearings in the supporting brackets h2 and Zr" for the drive shaft, and is provided at'one end with an arm @beneath the needle and at its opposite end with a fixed collar having lugs n n2. The lug n is adapted to engage a cam projection or lug n3 on the trip lever M. Wlhen the needle is lowered to its initial position it strikes the arm a of the trip shaft N and rocks said shaft which causes the lug n to engage the lug n3 on the trip lever, thereby raising the latter out of the path of the arm of the clutch dog, as shown in Fig. 3 It is necessary to adjust the binding mechanism from time to time to compensate for the wear in the parts thereof.-To allow such adjustment without effecting the throw of the trip lever M, the outer face of the lug n is curved concentrically with the trip shaft N which allows considerable variation of movement of the trip shaft without changing the throw of the trip lever. The lug n will raise the trip lever to its limit before the needle which extends out beyond the periphery of completes its movement and will hold the trip lever up out of the path of the clutch dog without further movement during the continued movement of the needle and the arm n actuated thereby. A spring n4 coiled around the trip shaft and connected at opposite ends respectively to the shaft and to the bearing bracket h5 returns the trip shaft to the position shown in Fig. 4. Zhen the needle starts from its rest position in the binding operation, and when the lug n clears the lug on the trip lever, the latter will be returned by its spring m to the position shown in Fig. 4, in the path of the clutch dog L. A pawl arm O is loosely mounted on the trip shaft N and is provided at its outer end with a flat vspring O adapted to engage with the abrupt face of a cam projection p on the periphery of the clutch disk. The spring end ofthe pawl arm is pressed against the clutch disk when the needle is raised, by the coil spring n4 acting through the trip shaft and the lug n2 thereon bearing against a lug O2 on the pawl arm O. Vhen the pawl arm is against the edge of the clutch disk there will be sufficient space left between the lug n of the trip shaft and the cooperating lug on the trip lever to allow the pawl arm and trip shaft to yield against the action of the coil spring n4 so that the pawl arm can ride over the cam projection on the clutch disk, see

suitable pivot m on the binder head and prol Fig. 4. When the needle returns and rocks 872,663 j fr the trip shaft to release the trip lever from the dog L, the pawl arm will swing away from and release the clutch disk.

The operation of the stop packer is as follows: Assuming the needle C to be in its rest position, shown in Figs. 1-3, the pressure thereof on the adjacent arm of the trip shaft N will hold said shaft in the position shown in said Figs. l to 3 and the lug n of the trip shaft will hold the trip lever up out of the path of the projecting arm of the clutch dog L. The clutch dogs L L will then be held by `their springs in such position, see Figs. 3 and 5, that their projections Z3 will be engaged by the lateral projections of the driv-.

ing and driven arms K K. respectively. The clutch disk will then be rotated by the driving arm and will in turn rotate the driven arm and packer crank to which it is attached and operate the packers in the usual manner to form the gavel against the compressor arm F. When the gavel attains the proper size the pressure thereof on the compressor arm will'trip said arm and start the needle and knotting mechanism, as eX- plained. As soon as the needle moves away from the arm n of the trip shaft N, the spring m will throw the outer end of the trip lever M into the path of the projecting arm of the clutchvdog L and when, in the rotation of the clutch disk I, the dog L strikes the trip arm it will be arrested and the two dogs will be swung on their pivots as the disk continues its motion, until their projection Z3 are disengaged from the lateral projections of the driving and driven. arms, and the pawl arm O will be thrown against the clutch disk by the coil spring n4 acting through the trip shaft,

as explained. The flat spring O of the pawl arm O will ride over the cam projection pof the disk and spring in rear thereof just before the dogs disengage the driving and -driven arms, thereby -holding the clutch disk from rearward ymovement under the reaction of the dog springs Z. Without the pawl arm O the clutch disk would turn rearwardly far enough for the dogs to resume the normal positionso as to be engaged by the driving' and driven arms and so defeat a proper operation of the clutch. Thus the clutch disk is uncoupled from the driving and driven arms and the clutch disk and driven arm, together with the packer crank and packers, come to rest while the driving arm continues its movement with the packer drive shaft. The clutch disk is posltively held from movement in either direction by the engagement of the trip lever with the do L, and of the pawl with the cam on the dis i, but the driven arm L and the packer crank are perfectly free so that the packers until the needle, in its return move1nent, after tying the gavel, strikes the arm a and rocks the trip shaft N to lift the trip lever M and again free the clutch dogs. As soon as the clutch dogs are freed they will be engaged with the projections of the driving and driven arms by their springs and the packers will again be set in action.

I claim as my invention:

1. 'In a clutch mechanism for operating the packers of a binding machine when the binding means are inactive and for stopping the packers during the action of the binding means, the combination of a driving member,

` a driven member, a clutch member which is lease said clutch parts at other times, sub-V stantially as set forth.

2. In a clutch mechanism for operating the packers of a binding machine when the bindingmeans are inactive and for stopping the packers during the action of the binding means, the combination of a drive shaft, a

Adrive member secured on said shaft, a driven member loose on said shaft, a clutch member which is loose on said drive shaft and is provided with parts for engaging said\ driving and driven members, and intermittently operating trip means which are constructed to hold said loose clutch member with said parts thereof out of engagement with said driving and driven members at predeter- -mined times and to release said clutch parts at `other times, substantially as set forth.

3. -In a clutch mechanism for operating the packers of a binding machine when the binding means are inactive and for stopping the packers during the action of the binding means, the combination of a loose dog carrier, cooperating movable dogs on said car rier, a driving member which is positively driven and engages one of said dogs to drive said dog carrier, a driven member which is engaged and driven by said other dog, and an intermittently operating trip device which is constructed to hold said dogs from engagement with said driving and driven members at predetermined times and to free said dogs to engage said driving and driven members at other times, substantially as set forth.

4. In a clutch mechanism for operating the packers of a binding machine when the binding means are inactive and for stopping the packers during the action of the binding means, the combination of a positively driven driving member, a driven member, a loose dog carrier arranged between said driving and driven members, cooperating movable dogs on said dog carrier for engaging said driving and driven members, and intermittently operating trip means Which are constructed to hold said dog carrier stationary and hold saiddogs out of engagement With said driving and driven members at predetermined times and leave both of said members free, and to release said dog carrier at other times, substantially as set forth.

5. In a clutch mechanism for operating the packers of a binding machine When the binding means are inactive and for stopping the packers during the action of the binding means, the combination of. a positivelyT driven driving member, a driven member, a loose dog carrier arranged between said driving and driven members, cooperating movable dogs on said dog carrier for engaging said driving and driven members, an intermittently operating trip lever Which engages one of said dogs to hold the dogs out of engagement With said driving and driven members at predetermined times and to free said dogs at other times, and a pawl controlled by said trip lever for holding said dog carrier stationary When the trip lever engages said dog, substantially as set forth.

6. In a clutch mechanism for operating the packers of a binding machine When the binding means are inactive -and for stopping the packers during the action of the binding means, the combination of a positively driven driving member, a driven member, a loose dog carrier arranged between said driving and driven members, cooperating movable dogs on opposite sides of said dog carrier, springs acting to normallyl hold said dogs in position to engage said driving and driven members, a trip lever, and means for operating the same to engage one of lsaid dogs to hold the dogs out of engagement With said driving and driven members at predetermined times and to free said dogs at other times, and a paWl Which is moved to engage and hold said dog carrier when said trip lever is moved to engage said dog, substantially as set forth.

7. In a clutch mechanism for operating the packers of a binding machine When the binding means are inactive and for stopping the packers during the action of the binding means, the combination of a driving member, a driven member, a clutch member which is loose with respect to said drivingl and driven members and is provided with parts for engaging said driving and driven members, a trip device, and means for operating said trip device to'hold said clutch parts out of engagement With the driving and driven members at predetermined times and to release said clutch parts at other times, said trip-operating means being constructed to produce a definite movement of said trip device With different adjustments of the operating means, substantially as set forth.

8. In a clutch mechanism for operating the packers of a binding machine When the binding means are inactive and for stopping the packers during the action of the binding means, the combination of a driving member, a driven member, a clutch member which is loose With respect to said driving and driven members and is provided With parts for engaging said driving and driven members, a trip device, and means including a cam for operating said trip device to hold said clutch parts out of engagement With said driving and driven members at predetermined times and to release said clutch parts at other times, substantially as set forth.

9. In a clutch mechanism for operating the packers of a binding machine When the binding means are inactive and for stopping the packers during the action of the binding means, the combination of a driving member, a driven member, a clutch member Which is loose With respect to said driving and driven members and is provided With parts for engaging said driving and -driven members, a trip device, a trip shaft, operating means therefor, a cam on said shaft for operating said trip device, a holding paWl for said loose clutch member operated by said trip shaft and having a movement relative to said trip shaft, and a spring for moving said trip shaft in one direction, substantially as set forth.

Vitness my hand, this 26th day of June, 1906.

CHRISTIAN MAUL. 

